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Useful Tropical Plants

Rhinacanthus nasutus

(L.) Kurz

Acanthaceae

+ Synonyms

Justicia nasuta L.

Rhinacanthus communis Nees

Common Name:

Rhinacanthus nasutus
Flowering plant
Photograph by: LiChieh Pan
Creative Commons License
Rhinacanthus nasutus Rhinacanthus nasutus Rhinacanthus nasutus Rhinacanthus nasutus

General Information

Rhinacanthus nasutus is an erect, much-branched shrub growing up to 2 metres tall, occasionally to 3 metres[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The plant is often gathered from the wild for local medicinal use. It is commonly cultivated in Java as a hedge plant and for protection against soil erosion[
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
]. It is also planted for its ornamental value[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References


Range

E. Asia - India.

Habitat

Thickets, hedges and waste places at elevations up to 750 metres. It thrives best on moist, well-drained soils, but it is also found in much drier habitats such as rock crevices[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Properties

Medicinal Rating *  *  *
Other Uses Rating *  *
HabitShrub
Height2.00 m
PollinatorsInsects
Cultivation StatusCultivated, Ornamental, Wild

Cultivation Details


Succeeds in full sun or partial shade. Prefers a moist, well-drained soil[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

The plant is used in traditional medicine, where it is particularly valued for its beneficial effect upon a range of skin conditions.
The plant has been shown to contain a number of medically active compounds including several naphthoquinones, flavonoids and phytosterols[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The naphthoquinone rhinacanthin-B has shown significant cytotoxicity[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The naphthoquinones rhinacanthin-C and -D, isolated from the aerial parts, have shown potent inhibitory activity against human and murine strains of human cytomegalovirus[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Several other naphthoquinones have been isolated. Most of these showed significant cytotoxicity, particularly rhinacanthin-D, -H, -K, -M and -Q[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
From the methanol extract of the stems and leaves, an antifungal naphthoquinone was isolated with an ED50 value of 0.4 ppm on spore germination of Pyricularia oryzae (causing rice blast disease) and with 82% inhibition at 100 ppm.[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Two lignans, rhinacanthin-E and -F isolated from the aerial parts, exhibited significant antiviral activity against influenza virus type A[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
A 95% alcohol extract of the aerial parts exhibited antimicrobial activity against Staphylococcus aureus at a dose of 100 mg/disk[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The chloroform and alcohol extracts of aerial parts show antifungal activity against Epidermophyton floccosum, Microsporum gypseum and Trichophyton rubrum[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
The crude ethanol extract proved to possess relatively high acaricidal activity (71-85% mortality) tested in vitro on cattle ticks[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The root is considered to be aphrodisiac[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
460
Title
Flora Medica
Publication
 
Author
Lindley J.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans: London
Year
1838
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work - many of the botanical names have changed, but the book is still a wealth of information.
]. It is boiled in milk and the milk is then drunk[
460
Title
Flora Medica
Publication
 
Author
Lindley J.
Website
http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/
Publisher
Longman, Orme, Brown, Green and Longmans: London
Year
1838
ISBN
 
Description
A massive work - many of the botanical names have changed, but the book is still a wealth of information.
].

The roots and leaves are applied externally as a remedy for certain skin disorders such as ringworm, eczema, scurf and herpes[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. They are either soaked in vinegar or alcohol, pounded with lemon or tamarind, or made into a decoction[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

The leaf is considered to be antidote, antihypertensive, anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and detoxicant[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. It is used as a treatment against snake venom[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. The stem and leaves are also applied to treat ringworm infections, as well as being used in the early stages of tuberculosis[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

An infusion (part not specified) has a reputation in folk medicine for the treatment of hypertension[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
]. In Thailand, anti-cancer activity has been reported[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Agroforestry Uses:

Regularly planted as a hedge, it has also been used to prevent soil erosion in road construction[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
,
317
Title
Mansfeld's Database of Agricultural and Horticultural Plants
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://mansfeld.ipk-gatersleben.de/pls/htmldb_pgrc/f?p=185:3:4292127278597336
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Terse details of a huge range of useful plants.
].

Other Uses

The seeds are used for scenting clothes[
46
Title
Dictionary of Economic Plants.
Publication
 
Author
Uphof. J. C. Th.
Publisher
Weinheim
Year
1959
ISBN
-
Description
An excellent and very comprehensive guide but it only gives very short descriptions of the uses without any details of how to utilize the plants. Not for the casual reader.
,
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].

Propagation

Seed -
Stem cuttings, about 10cm long, comprising 2 - 3 nodes, are planted under partial shade during the rainy season[
310
Title
Plant Resources of Southeast Asia
Publication
 
Author
 
Website
http://proseanet.org/
Publisher
 
Year
0
ISBN
 
Description
Lots of information on the uses of the plants of SE Asia.
].
Cite as: Tropical Plants Database, Ken Fern. tropical.theferns.info. 2024-03-29. <tropical.theferns.info/viewtropical.php?id=Rhinacanthus+nasutus>

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